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From δ-aminolevulinic acid to chlorophylls and every step in between: in memory of Constantin (Tino) A. Rebeiz,
Govindjee Govindjee1,2, Donald P Briskin3, Christoph Benning4
1Department of Plant Biology, Department of Biochemistry, and Center of Biophysics & Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA. gov@illinois.edu.
Abstract:
Constantin A. (Tino) Rebeiz, a pioneer in the field of chlorophyll biosynthesis, and a longtime member of the University of Illinois community of plant biologists, passed away on July 25, 2019. He came to the USA at a time that was difficult for members of minority groups to be in academia. However, his passion for the complexity of the biochemical origin of chlorophylls drove a career in basic sciences which extended into applied areas of environmentally friendly pesticides and treatment for skin cancer. He was a philanthropist; in retirement, he founded the Rebeiz Foundation for Basic Research which recognized excellence and lifetime achievements of selected top scientists in the general area of photosynthesis research. His life history, scientific breakthroughs, and community service hold important lessons for the field.